andrejthechef
BelgiumStewDinner

Lapin à la Gueuze

Rabbit braised in tart gueuze beer with onions, herbs and a little sweetness from prunes.

prep
25 min
cook
1 h 40 min
total
2 h 5 min
serves
4
level
medium
Lapin à la Gueuze, a dish from Brussels and Pajottenland

Lapin à la gueuze braises rabbit slowly in gueuze, the tart, wild-fermented lambic beer particular to the Brussels and Pajottenland region, with prunes added to round out the sourness.

It's a dish deeply tied to its specific beer; the sourness of gueuze is what makes the sauce work, rather than the sweetness a regular beer would bring.

Part of our 20 best Belgian recipes list.

method

  1. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour.

  2. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pot, and brown the rabbit pieces on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside.

  3. Add the sliced onions to the pot, and cook over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes.

  4. Return the rabbit to the pot, and pour in the gueuze beer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

  5. Add the bay leaf, thyme and mustard, and bring to a gentle simmer.

  6. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the rabbit is completely tender.

  7. Add the prunes for the last 15 minutes of cooking, letting them soften and sweeten the sauce slightly.

  8. Remove the herbs, season to taste, and serve hot with the sauce spooned over.

chef's tips

  • Gueuze’s natural sourness is what defines this dish; a sweeter lambic or a regular lager will change the character of the sauce noticeably.
  • Prunes are a traditional, deliberate addition here, adding a little sweetness to balance the beer’s tartness, not an optional garnish.